We observe that the sequence is the transform of A006578 by the following transform T: T(u_0,u_1,u_2,u_3,...)=(u_0,u_0+u_1, u_0+u_1+u_2, u_0+u_1+u_2+u_3+u_4,...). In another terms v_p=sum(u_k,k=0..p) and the G.f phi_v of v is given by: phi_v=phi_u/(1-z). - Richard Choulet, Jan 28 2010

a(n) has the expansion (1*0)+(1*1)+(4*1)+(4*2)+(7*2)+(7*3)+... ,where the expansion stops when a(n) has n+1 number of terms. The expansion starts at (1*0), and progresses by alternating addition of 1 to the second number and 3 to the first number. - Arlu Genesis A. Padilla, Jun 04 2014

Taking the absolute values of each n-th difference and excluding the first n terms of each mentioned sequence, A002717 has the first difference A006578 (see formula of Michael Somos dated Jun 09 2014), the second difference A032766 (see 'partial sum' crossref), the third difference A000034, the fourth difference A000012, and the fifth to n-th difference A000004. - Arlu Genesis A. Padilla, Jun 12 2014

Cf. A000292 number of triangles with same orientation as largest triangle, A002623 number of triangles pointing in opposite direction to largest triangle, A085691 number of triangles of side k in arrangement of side n.